Face powder

• Definition
• Poisonous Ingredient
• Where Found
• Symptoms
• Home Treatment

• Before Calling Emergency
• Poison Control, or a local emergency number
• What to expect at the emergency room
• Expectations (prognosis)

Definition   

This poisoning is from exposure to, or ingestion of, face powder.

Poisonous Ingredient   

• Talcum powder
• Baking soda
• Many other types of powder

Where Found   

• Face powder

Symptoms   

• Respiratory
  • Difficulty breathing (from inhalation or allergic reaction)
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Burning pain in the throat
  • Blurred vision
  • Burns to the eye
• Skin
  • Rash
• Gastrointestinal
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea (watery, bloody)

Home Treatment   

With any toxic ingestion or allergic reaction, seek emergency medical care immediately. If the powder was swallowed, dilute with water or milk. Contact Poison Control for further guidance. Do not induce vomiting.

Before Calling Emergency   

Determine the following information:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• The time it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number   

See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room   

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• Treat the allergic reaction with diphenhydramine and prednisone
• For swallowed poison
  • Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
  • Activated charcoal administration
  • Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
  • Give IV fluids
  • Admission to the hospital
  • Give an antidote
  • Treat the symptoms
• For skin exposure
  • Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
  • Skin debridment (surgical removal of burned skin)
  • Admission or transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care

Expectations (prognosis)   

These products are not considered very toxic, so recovery is very likely.